# HashiCorp Vault (noble)

Standalone Vault with **file** storage on a **Longhorn** PVC (`server.dataStorage`). The listener uses **HTTP** (`global.tlsDisable: true`) for in-cluster use; add TLS at the listener when exposing outside the cluster.

- **Chart:** `hashicorp/vault` **0.32.0** (Vault **1.21.2**)
- **Namespace:** `vault`

## Install

```bash
helm repo add hashicorp https://helm.releases.hashicorp.com
helm repo update
kubectl apply -f clusters/noble/apps/vault/namespace.yaml
helm upgrade --install vault hashicorp/vault -n vault \
  --version 0.32.0 -f clusters/noble/apps/vault/values.yaml --wait --timeout 15m
```

Verify:

```bash
kubectl -n vault get pods,pvc,svc
kubectl -n vault exec -i sts/vault -- vault status
```

## Initialize and unseal (first time)

From a workstation with `kubectl` (or `kubectl exec` into any pod with `vault` CLI):

```bash
kubectl -n vault exec -i sts/vault -- vault operator init -key-shares=1 -key-threshold=1
```

**Lab-only:** `-key-shares=1 -key-threshold=1` keeps a single unseal key. For stronger Shamir splits, use more shares and store them safely.

Save the **Unseal Key** and **Root Token** offline. Then unseal once:

```bash
kubectl -n vault exec -i sts/vault -- vault operator unseal
# paste unseal key
```

Or create the Secret used by the optional CronJob and apply it:

```bash
kubectl -n vault create secret generic vault-unseal-key --from-literal=key='YOUR_UNSEAL_KEY'
kubectl apply -f clusters/noble/apps/vault/unseal-cronjob.yaml
```

The CronJob runs every minute and unseals if Vault is sealed and the Secret is present.

## Auto-unseal note

Vault **OSS** auto-unseal uses cloud KMS (AWS, GCP, Azure, OCI), **Transit** (another Vault), etc. There is no first-class “Kubernetes Secret” seal. This repo uses an optional **CronJob** as a **lab** substitute. Production clusters should use a supported seal backend.

## Kubernetes auth (External Secrets / ClusterSecretStore)

Run these **from your workstation** (needs `kubectl`; no local `vault` binary required). Use a **short-lived admin token** or the root token **only in your shell** — do not paste tokens into logs or chat.

**1. Enable the auth method** (skip if already done):

```bash
kubectl -n vault exec -it sts/vault -- sh -c '
  export VAULT_ADDR=http://127.0.0.1:8200
  export VAULT_TOKEN="YOUR_ROOT_OR_ADMIN_TOKEN"
  vault auth enable kubernetes
'
```

**2. Configure `auth/kubernetes`** — the API **issuer** must match the `iss` claim on service account JWTs. With **kube-vip** / a custom API URL, discover it from the cluster (do not assume `kubernetes.default`):

```bash
ISSUER=$(kubectl get --raw /.well-known/openid-configuration | jq -r .issuer)
REVIEWER=$(kubectl -n vault create token vault --duration=8760h)
CA_B64=$(kubectl config view --raw --minify -o jsonpath='{.clusters[0].cluster.certificate-authority-data}')
```

Then apply config **inside** the Vault pod (environment variables are passed in with `env` so quoting stays correct):

```bash
export VAULT_TOKEN="YOUR_ROOT_OR_ADMIN_TOKEN"
export ISSUER REVIEWER CA_B64
kubectl -n vault exec -i sts/vault -- env \
  VAULT_ADDR=http://127.0.0.1:8200 \
  VAULT_TOKEN="$VAULT_TOKEN" \
  CA_B64="$CA_B64" \
  REVIEWER="$REVIEWER" \
  ISSUER="$ISSUER" \
  sh -ec '
  echo "$CA_B64" | base64 -d > /tmp/k8s-ca.crt
  vault write auth/kubernetes/config \
    kubernetes_host="https://kubernetes.default.svc:443" \
    kubernetes_ca_cert=@/tmp/k8s-ca.crt \
    token_reviewer_jwt="$REVIEWER" \
    issuer="$ISSUER"
'
```

**3. KV v2** at path `secret` (skip if already enabled):

```bash
kubectl -n vault exec -it sts/vault -- sh -c '
  export VAULT_ADDR=http://127.0.0.1:8200
  export VAULT_TOKEN="YOUR_ROOT_OR_ADMIN_TOKEN"
  vault secrets enable -path=secret kv-v2
'
```

**4. Policy + role** for the External Secrets operator SA (`external-secrets` / `external-secrets`):

```bash
kubectl -n vault exec -it sts/vault -- sh -c '
  export VAULT_ADDR=http://127.0.0.1:8200
  export VAULT_TOKEN="YOUR_ROOT_OR_ADMIN_TOKEN"
  vault policy write external-secrets - <<EOF
path "secret/data/*" {
  capabilities = ["read", "list"]
}
path "secret/metadata/*" {
  capabilities = ["read", "list"]
}
EOF
  vault write auth/kubernetes/role/external-secrets \
    bound_service_account_names=external-secrets \
    bound_service_account_namespaces=external-secrets \
    policies=external-secrets \
    ttl=24h
'
```

**5. Apply** **`clusters/noble/apps/external-secrets/examples/vault-cluster-secret-store.yaml`** if you have not already, then verify:

```bash
kubectl describe clustersecretstore vault
```

See also [Kubernetes auth](https://developer.hashicorp.com/vault/docs/auth/kubernetes#configuration).

## TLS and External Secrets

`values.yaml` disables TLS on the Vault listener. The **`ClusterSecretStore`** example uses **`http://vault.vault.svc.cluster.local:8200`**. If you enable TLS on the listener, switch the URL to **`https://`** and configure **`caBundle`** or **`caProvider`** on the store.

## UI

Port-forward:

```bash
kubectl -n vault port-forward svc/vault-ui 8200:8200
```

Open `http://127.0.0.1:8200` and log in with the root token (rotate for production workflows).